Chapter Thirty-Eight

“Well as you know,” Quinn says, cutting me off this time. “The Fates are old. Very old. So it seems they have decided to die.”

“Okay?” I say.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Daneliya sit up and lean forward. And Phobos put down his game.

“I’ve been doing research. The Fates can’t just die. They need to be able to pass on their powers, so that someone can take over their duties for when they die,” Quinn says. “Atropos is the Fate of Death. So it’s only appropriate that she dies first.”

“Which means what for me?” I ask.

Quinn smiles, “So Alex, how do you feel about being the new Fate of death?”

I blink.

“Wait hold up,” Daneliya says. “That explains Alexandria’s situation, but not how you’re still alive.”

“It’s Alex,” I snap.

“Really?” Quinn asks. “And here I thought that I had explained it. My bad.”

“It’s fine,” Daneliya says, not sensing the heavy use of sarcasm.

Quinn gives me a look like, where did you find this one at?

I give her a small shrug and reply; Hey, don’t look at me. She’s like a lost puppy.

“As much as I would love to explain why I’m not dead, I can’t,” Quinn says. “Because I have zero idea. You’re best guess is mine.”

“Great,” Daneliya says.

“We’ll I’m sorry honey,” Quinn sneers. “The genius thing kind of comes and goes. But I’m still doing better than you are.”

I’ve decided that out of the two of us I’m the nice one. Which is weird. I always assumed I was the mean one. Then again I’ve never hung out with someone Quinn didn’t like.

“Wow, okay then,” Daneliya mutters.

“So where does Daneliya come in on all this?” I ask. “I mean, it can’t be a coincidence that Daneliya was sent here by her mother.”

“I think when they all start to pile up like that it’s called Fate,” Phobos says.

Quinn nods and points towards him, signaling that she agreed with him.

“This is just,” Daneliya says. “Crazy.”

“What color is your blood?” Quinn asks.

“Come again?” Daneliya asks.

“Oh my, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize I was stuttering. What. Color. Is. Your. Blood.” Quinn demands.

“RED! Like everyone else’s blood! Duh,” Daneliya says.

Quinn draws the knife so fast that I almost missed it. Almost. I frown as I watch it fly through the air, slicing through Daneliya’s palm as she holds her hands up to protect her face. Her blood was gold.

“What the?” Daneliya starts, staring at her palm.

“Looks like we found the next Clotho,” Phobos says.

Quinn hands me another knife, I take instantly, cutting my palm. Black blood oozes out of the cut.

“You couldn’t have just handed me the knife too! Instead of throwing it at me?! Are you insane? That could’ve killed me!” Daneliya shouts.

“I mean I could’ve, but then I’d miss out on the fun of being able to throw it at you, and trust me, it was fun. Yes and I’m pretty sure I can’t kill you. Haven’t you been paying any attention? Come now Danny,” Quinn says.

“Don’t call me that.” Daneliya snaps

“Whoops. My bad, Sorry Danny,” Quinn says. “Won’t happen again.”

“So, I have an interesting question,” Phobos says. “You have figured out the new Fates of life and death, but what of destiny?”

Quinn shrugs, “Beats me. Now if y’all would excuse me, I have to go get my brother outta Tartarus. Peace!”

And then she was gone, in the similar manner in which she had came.

۝

Derek

“So can someone please explain to me how this whole thing works?” I ask, but as usual, my skeleton guide remains quiet.

It was actually starting to get on my nerves. But asking had gotten me nowhere. I was beginning to wondering if the stupid thing even could speak, at least, now that it was no longer hanging on the wall.

“Where are we going?” I ask.

No reply.

“Should I have worn something other than my PJ’s?”

Still he {I think it was a he. I couldn’t tell now} doesn’t respond.

“Who’s in charge around here? I feel the need to report you since you’re hospitality is so lame.”

Absolutely nothing.

“So are you really dead?” I ask.

“Of course I’m dead! I’m not dressed like a skeleton and wearing bones wasn’t a fashion statement when I was alive you know. Indeed, it’s not like I was just born without skin!” the skeleton exclaims.

“Oh dude, that’s gotta suck,” I say. “I mean, the fact that you’re dead is one thing. But the fact that you were born dead. Wow. That’s gotta hurt.”

“What’s gonna hurt is when I shove my leg down your throat,” the skeleton growls.

“I’m not quite so sure you can get your leg up that high without having it break off, I’m so sorry to ruin your dreams and everything, but that’s just the way it is,” I say.

“Children these days,” he sneers. “Always thinking they’re better than the dead. You’re here.”

Before I could ask exactly where here was he was gone. His bones literally melted into a pile of goo. I wrinkle my nose at the stench.

“Man, that guy should’ve used detergent,” I mutter.

“Hello there!” a woman says, walking up to me.

She had a crazy glint in her eye that said she was utterly insane and a smile on her face that said she wanted to see the world burn. She had long bright red hair and her eyes were a dark orange.

“Hi,” I say.

“You must be Derek! I sure hope that Jefferson didn’t bother you too much on your way here,” she frowns at the pile of goo. “I can’t believe that they always leave such a mess.”

“Who do you happen to be?” I ask casually.

“Oh dear,” she says. “I would’ve thought it be obvious.”

“It might be, but I’m not in much of a guessing mood,” I say.

“Oh! Of course not! I’m a goddess, my name is Mania,” she says.

“Right, I should’ve figured that out,” I say with an eye roll.

“So you do know of me! Wonderful,” she grins.

Mania was the goddess of insanity, madness and the dead. As well as some other stuff such as frenzy.

“Um, why am I here?” I demand.

“I need a favor,” Mania says.

“Of course you do!” I exclaim. “Why couldn’t you have just invited me to your party out of the kindness of your heart? Why can’t for once in my life someone call me up just to hang out? But NO, everyone needs something! Everyone wants something!”

“I just needed you to accept my blessing,” Mania says, looking taken aback.

“Um, okay then. That’s. That’s. I can do that,” I stutter.

I had expected some weird a*s quest to find some lost token that meant something to her. Yes, that’s right, I had read the books. I knew what happened around the gods.

“I’m not sure if this will hurt,” Mania comments. “I’ve never actually done this before.”

“Why are you doing it now then?” I ask.

“I believe in the good guys,” Mania says with a smile. “And because I can feel Olympus fading. The others won’t be strong enough to save it. But you, you will be.”

With those words she reaches out and touches my forehead, there was a slight discomfort, but other than that there was nothing. And when it was over I didn’t feel any different.

“You’ll have them when you need them,” Mania says with a smile.

“Thank you,” I say, and I surprised myself by meaning it.

“Enjoy the party,” she says.

۝

I walked around pointlessly for a while, that is, until I heard a familiar voice. It was my mom.

“Mom!” I say, but she didn’t hear me over the music, she was talking to a girl. I got closer.

The girl’s hair was short, choppy and black. Her eyes were grey with pieces of green and silver in them. She was looking at Athena pleadingly.

“Please! You have to listen to me! You have to listen to me! I’m telling you the truth! You’re all going to die if you don’t! PLEASE LISTEN TO ME!” she begs

“Foolish girl,” Athena replies. “You have no right to try and be heard! You’re nothing but a weak, scared, pathetic excuse for a human being. And you lost your right to have anything to say when you ditched your family to go and live with those nutjobs.”

The girl swallows, but she doesn’t say anything. Though even I could see the tears forming in her eyes.

“Don’t you dare try to contact me ever again,” Athena hisses. “Because the next time you do I will personally kill you. You betrayed the gods, you betrayed your friends. Your family. And you deserve to die.”